The Duke of York was today visiting Helmsley Town Hall - a hundred years after his great-grandfather, the then Duke of York, later George V, laid the hall's foundation stone.

Prince Andrew was meeting local people who have been involved in a £180,000 restoration of the building over the past decade.

The refurbishment has included the reinstatement of a balcony facing the Market Place, which had to be removed some 40 years ago after being struck by a lorry. The building has also been reroofed, the main hall has been given new oak panelling and the kitchens have been refitted, said Geoffrey Nicholson, chairman of the hall's management committee. He said the work had all been funded out of revenue raised by letting out the hall. "We have had no public money whatsoever, no lottery funding or council grant," he said.

Mr Nicholson said a flagpole had also been installed for the first time in many years, and the Duke of York's standard would be raised on it today.

"It is a hundred years since the Duke's great-grandfather laid the foundation stone. We invited the Duke more in hope than expectation and were delighted when we heard he was coming."

Later today, the Duke was moving on to Riccall near Selby, where he was due to visit a new £1.4 million community centre created by a local voluntary organisation, Riccall Regen.